The Breaker: Tremors
by TuxedoGreymon
Summary: Donovan could only remember two things about his parents. The flames that took them, and the man who watched. Growing up with this burden and few friends, when offered the chance at power, he took it in a heartbeat. Now he must balance the life of a normal teen with the life of a Murim-in. Risking his life and finding love. And of course, tracking the man he saw. Han Chun-Woo.
1. Chapter 1

_It was… difficult to remember the specifics of that day. Rare was the time anything concrete could be grasped, only feelings. The feeling of smoke filling his lungs and his face growing hot. The feeling of being lifted and carried out. The sounds of both parents shouting, crackling flames and snapping wood. His own voice desperately trying to scream out, only for ragged coughs to escape his lips. Oh yes… it was coming back now. Both father and mother surrounded by men dressed in black, fending them off the best they could. His mother punching one of them so hard their head spun around, snapping their neck. But he never saw the end. He got out the building inside._

_And got to see the apartment complex that he and many others called home be swallowed in blue and yellow flames._

_He knew that in the morning he'd forget. He'd forget that his mother and father fought for their lives against a mysterious foe. He'll forget the strange phrases they called out. He'd forget their faces, their voices, their names. He'll forget everything about this night except for two things. The flames… and one man. Not the man who saved his life, but the man watching from the edge of the street._

_The man with shaggy brown hair and grey eyes. His frown, that look of faint regret on his face… and the dark aura which made the moonless night seem brighter than the fire swallowing his home._

_No… he could never forget him._

_He could never forget that man._

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Dragon Hatches**

An Alarm clock blared through a bedroom barely bigger than a walk-in closet. A five drawer chest on one side, a desk and computer about a foot away from the foot of his bed. A figure writhed beneath the covers, slowly worming their way out from the thick layer of comforters and sheets. Mid length white hair was the first to peek out, followed by dark skin. A shade of rich milk chocolate. The figure beneath the covers fully emerged, stretching out his thin arms and letting out a yawn. His lips smacked together a few times, crusty eyes opening to reveal an unusual pair of ruby tinted orbs. He rose to stand, searching for the nightstand and eventually taking hold, pulling it open and digging through for anything to wear. He finally managed to locate a pair of white basketball shorts and a black sleeveless shirt with "Innocence ZerØ" In bold red brush like strokes. He tossed them on the bed before stumbling out into a tight hallway, walking into a bathroom with only a shower, cabinet and sink.

He turned the water on, making sure it was as cold as possible before actually stepping inside. Cheap shampoo found its way onto his head, the young man making his white hair as curly and messy as possible. A voice rang throughout the hallway, belonging to a woman. Middle aged, slightly lower pitched than average.

"Donovan! I'll be heading to work early today! You'll have to make your own breakfast! Have a good day at school!"

Donovan sighed, turning off the water and quickly drying himself with a towel. He returned to his bedroom and tossed on the clothes he set out, along with a pair of stained tennis shoes before entering the kitchen. Donovan made took out a measuring cup, three eggs, a whisk, a bag of bacon bits, and some cheese. He cracked the eggs into the cup, whisked them together, poured it onto a skillet, then threw the cheese and bacon inside. While his hands worked on breakfast, his eyes remained distant, wrapped in thought before focusing on a photograph on the counter.

It was him. Eleven years ago. Just a boy with short hair and that ever awkward smile. His parents faces just barely out of view.

The ghost of a smile which rose on his lips faded away, and by the time his eyes shifted back to the skillet, his omelette was done.

He slid it onto a paper plate, threw his backpack onto his shoulder, and went out the door, taking the stairs down. All the while stealing bites of his omelette until he made it to the ground floor, then out into the open.

Wilmington, Los Angeles.

Like many places, the reputation is greater than the truth. Or rather, people would rather focus on cut and dry statements than deal with any level of complexity. "Wilmington is home to all sorts of hoodlums and gangbangers." There is much truth to this, but to say that's all there is to it is to deny the hard work and endurance of many innocent, decent people who call this place home.

Still, Donovan made sure to never leave home without a little surprise hidden within his pocket. A trusting teen he was not.

While walking the sidewalks, he heard the rush of air and a sudden weight drop on his back, nearly making him fall. Arms draped over his shoulders while a pair of substantial breast pressed against him. His body lurched forward and a brief shout left his lips, first instinct being to shake this individual off, before a familiar giggle reached his ears.

"Don, you gotta stop being such a spaz."

Don sighed, a bead of sweat sliding down his forehead. "You know, in England calling me that would be horribly offensive."

Donovan straightened back up, the girl letting go as he turned to face her. A fair skinned young thing. Short brown hair tied into a braid, green eyes and dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved belly shirt. She slid her hands behind her back, flashing a smile at the slightly taller male.

"Well good thing we're… uh… however many miles away from England!"

"5,437 miles," Donovan stated. "That's how far Samantha."

Samantha nodded, and the pair began walking together. As they came to a stoplight, Donovan couldn't help but feel a strange… pressure nearby. It was difficult to understand, and harder to explain, but he could feel eyes on him. Enough eyes that one hand slid deep into his pockets, his index finger gently circling a push dagger.

Samantha noticed his growing unease, feeling his body tense up, his skin starting to tear in different regions, blood oozing from the wounds. Samantha placed her hand onto Donovan's cheek, turning his head to face her.

"Donny? Is something wrong?" she prodded.

The eyes disappeared, and Donovan's stress followed suit. The stress induced tears stopping their blood flow. A sigh parted his lips, followed by a small smile. "It's nothing Sam. Just a bit on edge today. I'm fine."

The two continued pressing forward, however, Samantha noticed something odd about Donovan. He seemed… off. More off than usual anyways. "Donny…"

He didn't bother stopping, nor did he turn to face Samantha. "Yeah Sam?"

"You had that dream again, didn't you?"

Donovan came to a stop, the rushing cars around him becoming little more than a ringing in his ears. Any voices besides Samantha's turning to faint murmurs. Donovan allowed a sigh to part his lips, his scarlet eyes falling towards the concrete as he continued facing forward.

"I…" He hesitated, one hand balling up into fist around his hidden weapon, making blood ooze from his left hand. "I try not to think about it. I know that in a few hours all I'll remember is the fire… and that man. Every day… it feels like I recognize him more and more. Like I've seen him before… like I keep seeing him. I know it. I know he knows why the building caught on fire. Yeah, it wasn't the most sound structure in the world but… someone set it. I don't care what the police say. I don't care what anybody says. It wasn't an accident. It was arson."

Samantha places a hand on Donovan's shoulder, which seemed to calm him down somewhat. His rage visibly subsided and his voice softened. "I… I know if I can find that guy…"

Samantha moved her hand from his shoulder to his hand, lacing their fingers together. "Donny… come on. We gotta get to class."

"... yeah." He relented, following Samantha forward. The figure who was watching him now certain… so it began the hunt in ernest, vanishing in a blur.

* * *

A large shipping vessel made its way to the docks of Los Angeles. Due to newly arisen schedule conflicts, it would be some time before unloading would begin. Many of the crates were filled with goods from east Asia, be they foods or manufactured products. However, one of these shipping containers had several breathing holes punched into them… quite literally, as the holes were roughly the diameter of a human fist. Within this specific container were four figures in masculine forms and two other more feminine builds, all of varying ages.

One of the women spoke out, her voice rough and somewhat low in pitch. "And we couldn't take a plane… why?"

"Too expensive." The smallest of the males responded. "Besides, I it's kinda relaxing having the sea rock you like that, ya know?"

"Besides," A burlier male bellowed out, his voice bouncing off the container walls enough to make it tremble slightly. "A plane ticket could be tracked. This lets us travel far less conspicuously. What we're planning to do… many in Murim wouldn't be pleased."

The woman from before merely sighs, delivering a kick to the container doors and shattering the lock, making them fly open.

The woman who kicked the doors was absolutely stunning. Raven hair and pale skin, with a well endowed form and dark grey eyes. Dressed in a very loose kimono top with Hakama pants, prayer beads around her neck. The rest of the members were of varying styles and sizes.

A younger looking male, no older than twenty with a massive zweihänder resting on his shoulders. Dressed in punk attire, with dull brown hair and hazel eyes.

The only other man amongst them was a towering mass of muscle and bone. Completely shaven head with black eyes and an eternally stern face. Despite his immense size, he seemed to be fairly old, reaching his sixties. Dressed in the typical Murim-in garb of a black suit.

The only other woman was an elderly thing, barely coming up to the brutish male's waist. Hair a dull grey due to time, her eyes hidden away by the close lids. She was clad in a Hanbok, white on blue.

The younger woman slammed one fist into her open palm, a growl leaving her lips. "Alright you losers, let's get to scouting! This far outside the Martial Arts Alliance's influence, I know we can really set up shop!"

* * *

Donovan and Samantha were already in class by this point, sitting beside each other while the teacher gave her lecture. While most of the desk were arranged in neat little rows, there was a noticeable space around the two of them, all nearby rows and desk about twice the distance apart. Most would claim this to be because Don gave off a 'creepy' aura. One which only Samantha seemed not to notice, or at least not mind. Also didn't help that any amount of stress made him ooze blood, another offputting feature.

While the teacher went on and on about the chemical makeup of DNA, Donovan shifted his focus over to the window to the left and the city beyond. Miles off in the distance he could make out the skyline of downtown Los Angeles. Just looking at those buildings was enough to lower Don's mood, the faint scent of burning lumber filling his nostrils, something nobody else in the room could smell. His scarlet gaze shifted over to the rooftop of the school… where he noticed someone watching them. A man. Or at least he thought it was.

It was crouched on all fours, hands gripping the ledge and clad in black. Arms almost too long to be a normal humans. Face hidden behind layers of cloth, save for dirty yellow goggles. Looking at it made pain shoot through Donovan's body, like rusted nails dragging along his skin before being thrusted inside. It was enough to make him keel over, falling out of his seat clutching his head in pain. While this caught the attention of the classroom, none of the students did anything to help, that creepy vibe he always gave off intensifying. Samantha followed her instinct and reached down to him, helping him stand while he was in agony.

"Ms. Cromwell, I think Donnie is sick or somethin! I'm gonna help him get to the nurse's office."

Before the teacher could respond, the pair were already out the door, Sam leading Don down a flight of stairs. As they went further down, he seemed to worsen, his stress bleeding becoming more intense as he felt something on the bottom floor. A horrible shriek echoed in his head, like his body needed to do something, but it couldn't explain what. They managed their way to the nurses office, where Samantha laid him on the bed. Try as he might, he couldn't hear a word, but the nurse did soon come over to check on his condition. The bleeding was nothing unusual, but every moment of contact elicited a scream of pain.

The nurse had her attention pulled towards the vents above, which rumbled as the figure Don had seen before slowly crawled out the vents. Its fingers digging into the ceiling as it crawled forward, head hanging over with those yellow goggles fixed on Donovan. It detached from the ceiling, landing on the nurse who stood petrified in terror. It wrapped a pair of unnaturally large hands around her face, and with a loud crack, her head spun around.

The pain in Donovan's head skyrocketed, enough to force him back on his feet, clutching his head in agony. The masked man turned to Donovan, wheezing as it stretched out a finger twice as long and thick as a normal humans.

"I recognize… that silver hair. My apologies boy, but I cannot allow the accursed bloodline of Ryong Bo-Yeon to exist in this world. I'll make your death peaceful."

Before either could move, a textbook went crashing into the black clad creature's head, sending it to the ground for a moment. The opened door revealed Samantha, hands trembling and eyes wide with shock. She rushed over to Don, grabbing hold of his wrist and dragging him out without a word. Out of school and into the parking lot. Further still into town, both running as fast as they could, eventually ducking into an alleyway.

Donovan finally managed to collect himself enough to speak. "Sammie… that thing knew my… it new my mom's name."

Samantha herself was panting, back against the cold brickwork, but confusion written on her face. "What? Tha-that doesn't make sense! That thing looked like it was pulled straight from a horror movie! What does it have to do with-"

"Oh? I'm from a horror movie?" The creature interjected from above, staring down from the rooftop above, perched like a gargoyle. It leaped down to the streets below, a clear five story drop with enough force to smash the trash can in front. It turned to face the both of them, scratching the spot which was hit moments ago.

"Compared me to his mother, I'm a rabbit to the devil. Now, while it was sweet of you to rush to your friend's aid… I suggest you run along little girl. Before you get hurt."

This thing exuded a dark aura, one which would make someone of lesser will bolt out the alley and into traffic. Samantha's legs shook violently, and her throat tightened to the point where she could barely breathe… but she stood there. Her hand shot towards Donovan's pocket, pulling out his push dagger and pointing the blade at the creature. "I… I-I won't leave him. You're gonna have to get through me first!"

"... how touching." The black clad man teased, before leaping forward in full preparation to crush her head. In that moment, in that instant… something turned on inside of Donovan.

His scarlet eyes burned with hatred, as his left hand balled into a fist. His teeth gritting tightly as he shot his arm forward, twisting his body along with it. His arm began to open numerous cuts as some mysterious force ran along every muscle and fiber, rushing towards the black clad figure. It's attention turned towards Donovan, recognizing his fist as the greater threat. It threw its arms up to block, but by then the fist had already collided with its head. Unseen by the eye, the brain rattled inside of the man's skull, bursting at the seams and inducing a massive hemorrhagic stroke. The body convulsed for a few moments on the ground, before falling over dead. The skull cracked slightly in the front as well.

Donovan stood there, panting. One arm having blood drip down to the alleyway floor, while his silver hair obscured his scarlet eyes for the most part. The pain, the shrieking in his head, all gone. The new pain of his arm screaming was almost welcome compared to those two. Samantha could only stare. In wonder, in confusion, in horror. With one punch, Donovan killed a man.

In one punch, Donovan killed a man.

"C-come on. We gotta get out of here!" She quickly exclaimed, taking hold of Donovan's wrist and attempting to drag him away. She barely managed to do so, the young boy still in a daze from what he did… but the alleyway was blocked. By those four from the docks.

The young woman was the first to speak, crossing her arms. "Damn… never seen a rookie do somethin like that to someone from the Bone and Blood School."

The burly male nodded. "Indeed. A rare nugget of gold amongst grains of sand."

The one with the sword sighed. "I guess, but he seems a bit out of his sorts. Ya sure he should be the first?"

The elderly woman nodded. "He should. Of all those we should take under our wing, it is those who are in need. Besides… if he truly is the son of Bo-Yeon, then we cannot allow another assassin to take him. And we cannot allow another Martial Artist to train him."

Samantha stared confused at all four of them, while Donovan was too exhausted to really question anything. While Don was on the verge of passing out, Samantha asked the obvious questions. "W-who are you people? What do you mean training, why do you know his mom?"

The elderly woman smiled. "Just call us a group of concerned adults."


	2. Chapter 2

"What's wrong with him?" The faint voice of Samantha called out, barely audible over the constant ringing.

"It's his circulation. The contrast between his relatively weak body and his naturally high amounts of Ki has probably always harmed him, but now we've reached a tipping point." An unfamiliar voice responded. Belonging to a kindly, elderly woman.

"It's kinda impressive," A younger, far more haughty female responded. "Kid probably hasn't trained a day in his life, but posesses enough Ki and natural proficency to murder someone that altered by the Bone and Blood School. Maybe we found the one."

Samantha's voice grew more and more distressed. "What're you talking about? Ki, Bone and… you guys can help him, right?!"

A deep, bellowing voice answered her plea. "We can save him now… it is up to him if he'll be the one. I trust his decision will be best for him. You all do recognize that white hair on such a young boy, yes?"

Another male, this one far younger and softer responded. His voice gentle, yet cryptic. "Perhaps it is good that the Piyeosin produced an offspring. As a Dragon rises in the east, so to should one rise in the west. A devil to counter a god. An Emperor to do battle with a king and he who crowns himself Kaiser… he's falling asleep…"

Donovan finally drifted off into unconsciousness once more… only to find himself submerged in darkness.

**Chapter 2: The Four Cardinal Symbols**

_An endless void, with the only light being a faint aura around his own skin. Stripped bare of any clothes, floating endlessly through a grainy darkness. The only company he had was the faint silhouette of a curvaceous woman, made from shades of white and light grey. Hair like moonlight, skin like milk, and her eyes were obscured from view, as she stood faced away from him. Her flowing hair reached down to the small of her back, head tilted up and staring into the emptiness above. Donovan narrowed his eyes, the silhouette dragging forth long buried memories. His hand reached out as he struggled to call out, only for the shadows to steal every word._

_As he forced his body forward, he managed to push his body against the darkness, bursting into a full sprint after her. As he got closer and closer, his words came into existence as muffled shouts. One word._

_Mom._

_Before he could make contact with her, she turned to face him, dissipating into numerous orbs of light just before even the tip of his nails could touch her. Leaving him alone in the void. A similarly shaded figure emerged further away, this one of a man with short hair and much darker features. Donovan felt no resistance when he called out to him._

"_D-dad?"_

_He vanished as well, consumed in blue flames. _

_The void trembled as a long body shot up from the depths, coling around as it flew upwards. Body covered in armor-like scales, whiskers on its face and deer-like horns on its head. A mouth filled with sword sharp teeth, and a hands each tipped with four claws. The dragon opened its mouth, revealing the only other figure in color. The man from his memory. With his shaggy brown hair and grey eyes. Inside the dragon's maw, looking down on him._

"_Who are you… who the hell are you supposed to be!? Why were you there!?" Don shouted out. This man, he had seen him before. Not just at the crime scene, but in the apartment. For glimpses before his parents put him in his room. His name… his name was…_

"_Who are you, Chun-Woo Han?!"_

* * *

With a gasp, Donovan was made to return to the physical world. His back lurching slightly while his eyes darted around the room, confusion written all over his face. The for unfamiliar figures surrounding him, along with Samantha who was quick to catch him in a bear hug, nearly squeezing the life out of the poor boy.

"Donnie! You scared the hell out of me, I thought you were gonna die the whole time! These people… t-they were talking all sorts of crazy, but they saved your life."

Still in a daze from his explosive use of Ki along with the dream, he drearily looked over at the four figures who saved him.

A woman with huge prayer beads and a matching rack, an edgelord with an oversized sword, a bald giant in a suit, and an old lady dressed for a korean festival.

"... I am extremely confused and I think all five of you understand why."

The elderly woman nodded. "Yes dearie, I know this must all be very overwhelming for you. Samantha, would you mind stepping out for a moment? We have to inform him of some… family matters of his."

Sam was hesitant to leave his side, but a weak smile from Donovan convinced her to walk out… leaving her ear pressed against the door of course.

Donovan sat himself up a bit taller, eyes locked on the four of them. "Ok, tell me what's going on. Who are you people? Why and how did you save me? And… how did I kill that guy in the alleyway? I didn't hit him that hard."

The four looked at each other, with the bald man stepping up. "We are acquaintances of your mother, Bo-Yeon Ryong as you would say it here. She was a powerful martial artist within a world known as Murim. A hidden society of superhuman fighters. There she held the title of Piyeosin. The Blood Goddess. She made many powerful enemies and few allies, us being the latter."

The younger man with the sword spoke next. "You killed that freak using the same power all martial artist use. Ki. You dealt a Ki strike right to his head, completely destroying his brain in the process. Normally a fair bit of training would be required, but it would seem the Piyeosin's talents and Ki are things which can be passed on. A dangerous notion indeed."

The elderly woman took her turn. "We saved your life by fixing the distribution of Ki within your body. However, this isn't a permanent solution. The only true way to fix the condition is-"

"To train," The younger, busty woman interrupted, crossing her arms and glaring down at Donovan. "Train your little ass off until you're strong enough to handle yourself. You naturally have more Ki than your body can handle, so the only way for you to live is to become stronger. You can walk away, but with who your mother was, you'll end up having to fight sooner or later… and then you'll die."

The old man in the suit frowned. "Kanna, there's no need to pressure him into this."

Kanna growled in turn, walking up right into the older Murim-in's face. "Yes there is old man! If he doesn't join up, he's just gonna end up getting killed! All you assholes, preaching bout how it's his choice, it pisses me off! Doesn't matter if he wants to fight or not, it's either his wishes or his lif-"

"Chun-Woo Han."

The entire room went silent, as if he had evoked the devil within a church. The elderly woman looked over to Donovan, who's hands remained gripped tightly on his sheets. "How do you know that name?"

Don's eyes narrowed. "Chun-Woo Han… he was there when the apartment burned down… and I know he spoke to my parents before. Who is he?"

On hearing this new information, the four began putting the pieces together, albeit, all coming to a different picture. The young man with the massive sword spoke up first. "Chun-Woo Han is the most feared martial artist in all of Murim. The Goomoonryong, the Nine Arts Dragon. An enemy of the Martial Arts Alliance, and a Breaker. One who entered normal society while having a deep understanding of Ki. If he's involved with your parents then…"

"Answer this one question for me," Donovan rose out of the bed, barely able to stand and having to support himself with the frame. "If I train with you guys… will I be able to reach him?"

They kept quiet, unsure of how to answer. They understood who and what Chun-Woo was. The people who surrounded him, the danger chasing after the Demon King of Terror presented. But when they peered into those scarlet orbs, the fire which burned inside of them… they didn't see an injured boy, barely able to stand.

They saw Donovan Ryong. Son of Bo-Yeon.

The younger woman smirked, "Kid, train with us, and you'll be able to beat all the answers you want out of him."

The elderly woman let out a little laugh, looking over the three generations of martial artists who came after her. "Well… I guess it is time for some real introductions. My name is Min-seo Ban. Former head of the Cheon Clan. I am recognized as the Vermillion Bird of the South."

The young man with the sword looked down at Donovan, shrugging. "Guess we're doing this. One kid, four masters. I'm sure you'll be raising some hell. Maximilian Schulz, the exiled grandmaster of the prestigious Weißer Drache Fencing Academy. The Black Turtle of the North."

The balding man cracked his knuckles and neck. "I respect your boldness, but I question your goals… still, I'm with my teammates on this. Todd Malcoms, retired master of the Wind and Thunder School. The White Tiger of the West."

Finally, the busty woman with the raven hair spoke up, radiating a rather intense aura from her body. "Damn straight. Nice to find a non murim-in kid with some balls. Kanna Hoshi, heiress to the Kageki Clan of Shinobi. The Azure Dragon of the East."

Donovan took a moment to put all the names together, coming to a quick realization. "So… if all of y'all are supposed to be like the Four Symbols… does that make me the emperor?"

Both Maximilian and Kanna broke out in laughter. Todd remained stoic while Min-seo simply smiled. Then it dawned on both Kanna and Maximillian. They huddled up with their seniors, Don only able to make out some indistinct muttering and vague sounds of disagreement, until eventually they split back up. Maximilian coughed into his hand, looking away as well.

"Only when we all have nothing left to teach you will you be known as the Dragon of the Center."

Donovan nodded. "Alright… so, how do we get this whole training thing started?"

Min-seo stepped up. "I believe that I may be the most capable of starting you off. While you must quickly begin physical training, you must also learn to control your Ki. I have just the Ki distribution technique for someone in your predicament. Todd, would you be a good lad and help our disciple to the Malaga Cove Beach?"

Todd nodded, tossing Don over his shoulder and carrying him out. Samantha quickly stepped out of the way as the mountain of muscle in a suit walked out.

"H-hey! I'm coming too!" She called out, following them. Donovan was about to protest, considering what happened with the freak from earlier, but Min-seo raised her hand to reassure him, getting him to relax.

The walk wasn't too terrible, although with the speeds the two murim-in moved at, Samantha had to take several breaks to catch her breath. Eventually they made it to the beach. A rocky shore that most people skipped over for the more famous spots. As the sun began to set over the ocean, Donovan was sat down on the still warm sand, with Min-seo standing watch.

Samantha wished to move closer, only for Todd to raise his hand in front of her. "Let them train. You will only distract."

The old woman gazed off into the sea, sitting down in a full lotus position, with Don adjusting his legs to be crossed.

"Before you can fight, you must learn to control your Ki. To distribute and circulate it through the body." Min-seo instructed. "You must first learn to control your breathing. Working from your core rather than your chest. Slow, controlled breathing. Let all the energy flow into your body, let it build inside of your core, then spread it out through your body. The first step, Air Herding. The second step, Power Distribution. Go on."

Donovan did as he was told to the best of his ability. He inhaled deeply, trying to breathe with his diaphragm, only to fail. Min-seo simply smiled. "It's fine. You're a beginner. Take it slowly. Remember, from your core. Let the energy flow into you, sink into your core, then distribute it throughout your body. Like a basin. Imagine water filling up into your core, then flowing out into the channels of your body."

Donovan brought his hands together just in front of his naval, forming a circle with his thumbs and index fingers. His scarlet eyes closed as he tried to visualise what she described. His breathing became deeper and more controlled. With every breath, he felt a force rising inside of his abdomen, a fluid light pulsing through his body as Donovan distributed the energy throughout. Min-seo's eyes opened slightly, exposing dull blue eyes as she watched him perform basic Ki distribution.

Wisp of ethereal dust and smoke rose off his body, his Ki rising to a degree neither Todd nor Min-seo expected, while Sammie simply watched in confusion.

"Is… is he doing good?" She inquired, not noticing the Ki rising off of his body.

Todd nodded. "Better than I expected honestly. I suppose he is his mother's son… but talent alone won't help him against the monsters he'll be facing. He'll have to work himself to the bone to make it out alive… and even if he does, there's no guarantee against the enemies his mother made."

Samantha looked down to the sand and rocks below, then to dark skinned boy she knew so well. Her gaze hardened, and she turned to look at the White Tiger of the West. "I don't want to burden him. I wanna help, any way that I can."

Todd looked down at the girl, letting out a sigh as he struggled to figure out a way to aid them in a meaningful way. "I respect your desire to aid your friend… if you can help us secure a base of operation and decent training areas like this, that would be the best."

Samantha's eyes widened slightly, a grin stretching across her lips as she flashed a thumbs up to the Murim-in. "Don't worry about that! I got you guys covered!"

Min-seo noticed how the two of them walked off, Samantha practically dragging Todd by the wrist. Her attention returned to Don, who had increased the control he had over his Ki greatly. "_Gauging an actual rank would be rather difficult, considering he has no training. His Ki on a purely reserve level is on par with a master, but his skill level is low."_ She thought to herself.

"Donovan, that's quite enough. You did well. Well enough that I feel you're ready to begin physical training, along with learning a proper distribution technique."

Donovan let out a sigh, noticing immediately how different his body felt. Everything was… lighter. His head felt clearer, his muscles less sore, and despite the damage he took before waking up, he could now stand on his own. He looked back at the old woman, deciding to question a bit more.

"So… the four of you. What are you all good at anyways? You guys don't seem to have much in common or anything…"

Min-seo smiled. "Very astute of you. Each of us has different schools and specialties. I come from the Cheon Clan of martial artist. Originally, our clan had great ties to the religion of Shindo, traditionally being Mu, shamans as you'd know us. Existing before Murim ever blossomed in Korea. The Cheon clan primarily works in spirit medicines and various ki distribution techniques, resulting in… well, let's just say that even by Murim standards, the powers of the Cheon clan are unusual. As the former clan head, I have access to all recipes and techniques."

"Kanna Hoshi is the heiress of tha Kageki clan. An order of Shinobi known for taking rather high risk and brutal assassination jobs across the globe. Utilizing stealth, various specialized tools, poisons, and overtly lethal techniques. They also hold some unusual powers, but most definitely rely more on equipment and technique rather than sheer force. She fights without honor… but such things are overrated."

"Maximilian Schulz is the exiled Grandmaster of the Weißer Drache Fencing Academy. A sword school in germany and one of the few western martial arts schools of high standing within the Martial Arts Alliance. Maximilian himself was their greatest student, an expert with many european swords, but favoring his greatsword above all else. Many murim-in perfer Katanas and the like, so learning a european based swordsman style can prove especially devastating. I'm sure he'd be glad to show you."

"Why was he exiled?" Donovan inquired.

Min-seo went quiet, but simply kept her smile. Soon enough she continued explaining. "Todd Malcoms is the retired master of the Wind and Thunder School. A mixed martial arts school that developed here in California. Incorporating many different techniques from across the globe. He'll be most responsible for your more up front fighting style. Each of us will impart onto you our lessons, and from this, you will become your own style of fighter."

Donovan nodded slowly, one more question brewing in his mind. One he should've asked some time before. "That guy who tried to kill me… you mentioned the Bone and Blood School. Can you elaborate?"

Min-seo's smile finally faded. "The Bone and Blood School are a detestable group, one which should have been eliminated decades ago. They utilize spirit medicine to warp and twist the human body, granting unnatural powers while turning men into monsters. I thought them eradicated… but it would seem some vermin scurries about where the Martial Arts Alliance has little control. You will no doubt have to face more of such monsters. As to who is sending them… I could only imagine…"

* * *

Somewhere deep beneath the ground, lower than subways and sewers was a series of rooms and winding hallways. Walls of steel and concrete, lined with many instruments. One of these rooms contained a series of pods filled with glowing green liquid and human bodies, albeit ones warped and twisted into a grotesque parody of man.

At the end of the hall was a woman dressed in a lab coat. Her flowing hair a beautiful lavender while she looked over a recording… A first person view of Donovan destroying the assassin's head.

The woman licked her upper lip. "My my my… Bo-Yeon. How dare you hide such a tasty looking thing from me. I could just gobble him up. My bosses want him dead but… maybe they wouldn't mind if I took him apart first."


End file.
